The Azure Dragon
by Bored Dragon
Summary: "When we are at our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change". Azula discovers this, perhaps a bit more literally than she'd like. Amidst the endless spirit shenanigans and dragon politics, perhaps even the troubled princess can find some semblance of peace. AU, takes place after The Search. Based (very) loosely on the classical novel, The Golden Ass.


It was dark. Moonlight filtered through the trees, illuminating the grotesque markings on the bark. Markings that resembled faces. Faces grinning, snarling and laughing at the girl that ran blindly through the trees, barely avoiding the ancient trunks. Rage and pain crashed together in her chest, like the storms whose lightning she could command. She snarled, angrily wiping the tears from her burning eyes. She was confused, to say the least. Confused and hurting. Why her useless brother and mother would want to have anything to do with her after this, after she had _tried so hard _to make _his _life hell, to show both of them how weak they were and how much she _pitied_ them and why she was so much better in father's eyes. To see the sorrow in their gaze as they looked at her, to see Zuko reach out for her, as if she weren't the monster she'd been to him for the last 15 years. As if she were _human_. As if she was _his sister_. And so, she had run. Like an animal, a wild beast. Why was she running? She was Princess Azula, Jewel of the Fire Nation. She didn't _run_ from anything. It was usually the other way around. Things were normally running away from her. And she liked that, didn't she? That was the way things were meant to be. Respect was healthy. And fear was a form of respect, wasn't it? _Fear is the only reliable way_, the voice hissed nastily in her ear, though the words were beginning to sound empty, even to her, after all those months of repeating them to herself in that cell, denying that it was the reason Mai and Ty Lee had left, the reason everyone had left in the end…

She screamed, blue flames roaring into existence for a brief moment as she collapsed, great heaving sobs ripping through her chest, reminiscent of that terrible day of the comet. Water lapped around her hands and knees. She blinked, distracted momentarily. A ragged, lost-looking girl stared back at her from a pool, so still it could have been a mirror. Her hair was a mess, having come out of its topknot, while dark streaks muddied her face, a mixture of her makeup and the filth from the forest. The golden eyes narrowed in anger, changing from their momentary emptiness into a look of wild fury as her lips parted in a snarl. Azula flung a bolt of blue flame into the water, causing the pool to ripple violently, the serene atmosphere darkening as steam billowed from the surface. The princess panted heavily, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at the pool. She almost felt sorry for disturbing such a perfect pool. Almost.

Something felt off. Azula peered through the steam, cursing as the moon was covered by clouds. A low rumble carried through the ground as twin embers blinked into existence on the other side of the pool. They gazed at her, bright and yellow, a beacon in the darkness. The princess shakily got to her feet, sliding into a fighting stance as the lights moved closer. She blinked, dread pooling in her stomach as the moon returned, revealing the immense shape of a wolf glaring at her from the other side of the pool. Its lips curled as it focussed on her, deadly fangs gleaming in the moonlight. She recognised it, distantly. The spirit wolf. The so-called pet of the Face spirit that lived here. The one that had given her mother a second chance. She vaguely remembered the older snow peasant rambling on about the Mother appearing when the wolf drank from the pool. Which meant—

"IT SEEMS YOU HAVE NOT LEARNED YOUR LESSON, HUMAN," a voice boomed as the Mother of Faces materialized on the surface, growing larger and larger until she towered above the princess, casting a glow over the clearing. Azula took a step back, glaring back fiercely, even as her body trembled, whether from awe or exhaustion, or a mixture of both, she couldn't tell. The Mother of Faces gazed down at her from her expressionless mask. "WHY ARE YOU HERE, CHILD?" The spirit questioned impatiently. Azula blinked. Why was she here? She had wanted to get away from them all, from the pain and confusion, and so, she had ran. Just like her mother…

Suddenly, a wild idea occurred to her. Impossible, crazy, completely unlike her. But then again, did she really know herself as well as she thought she did? She was tired of it all. Tired of her failures, the hatred, the lies and the pain. Her family. Her _life_. She could start anew, couldn't she? And it was all possible with the spirit before her.

"Give me a new face."

The spirit hovered above her, her mouth turned down disapprovingly.

"WHY WOULD I GRANT SUCH A FAVOUR FOR A DISRESPECTFUL WHELP LIKE YOU," the Mother boomed, contempt lacing every word. "ESPECIALLY AFTER EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO DESECRATE THIS PLACE." Azula didn't flinch.

"Because it is your duty. You are the Mother, aren't you? The wellbeing and happiness of your children should be your priority," she spat, bitterness colouring every word.

The forest came alive with the outraged howls of its inhabitants as all manner of animals, from tiger-bears to squirrel-toads, surrounded the pool, snarling their displeasure and blocking any chance of a safe getaway. The spirit reared up with furious shriek as the wolf howled. Azula staggered backwards as the cacophony increased, the anger that had consumed her deserting in an instant as the spirit leaned downwards, her many faces inches away from the princess. Her mouth quirked up in a devious smile.

"NO. I HAVE SOMETHING MUCH BETTER IN STORE FOR YOU, CHILD. YOUR MOTHER MAY HAVE COME SEEKING SHELTER FROM THE TERRIBLE MEMORIES OF HER PREVIOUS LIFE, BUT THAT PATH IS NOT FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOU. NO… I THINK MORE DRASTIC ACTION MUST BE TAKEN FOR YOUR OWN DESIRES TO COME TRUE." And before Azula could react, the pool surged upwards as the creatures of the forest descended upon her in a furious whirlwind of teeth and claws. Her scream was cut short as the water of the pool surged around her, swallowing her up in its murky depths. The last thing she saw was the glow of the wolf's yellow eyes as it dove after her, fangs gleaming for her throat.

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**AN: Welp, this is the first time I'm tackling a serious story. This'll be fun to see where it goes. Feel free to call me out on any mistakes I make, OOCness etc. I'll probably regret posting this in the morning, seeing as it's late late late right now and my brain is fried 8D  
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**Disclaimer: A:TLA and all related characters are owned by the Bryke and Nickelodeon**


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